Releasable pins



l June 2, 1970 w, c, ETAL 3,514,819

RELEASABLE PINS Filed July 2. 1968 WV/A/ r \\\\Y\\\\\ United States Patent 3,514,819 RELEASABLE PINS William Charles Hill, William Hickman Green, and Herbert James Hunt, Aldershot, England, assignors to Air-Log Limited, Aldershot, England, a British com- P y Filed July 2, 1968, Ser. No. 742,018- Claims priority, application Great Britain, Dec. 28, 1967, 58,908/ 67 Int. Cl. A44b 17/00; F16b 19/00 U.S. 24211 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A releasable shackle or pivot pin has latching means in the form of an arm extending lengthwise of the pin with one end of the arm within the compass of the pin and the other end movable 'between a latching position in which it projects from the pin and an unlatching position in which it lies within the pin. A rod slidable lengthwise within the pin has a cam surface for moving the arm to the latching position.

The invention relates to releasable pins of the kind having an enlarged head at one end (or one end of the effective portion of the pin), releasable latching means at a position spaced apart along the pin from the head (e.g. at or adjacent to the other end of the pin), said latching means being movable to project radially from the pin or to be withdrawn into the pin and operating means for effecting such movements of the latching means. Usually the operating means are manually operable from the head end of the pin and they may comprise a plunger movable axially within the pin and exerting a cam action on the latching means. Pins of this kind may be used, for example, as shackle or pivot pins or for locking two or more parts together, the 'pin being passed through aligned holes in the parts and retained by engagement of the head and the projecting latching means against opposite sides of the assembly of parts. To release the pin, the latching means is withdrawn into the pin.

The invention provides a releasable pin of the above kind in which the latching means comprises an arm extending lengthwise of the pin, having one end (herein called the root end) retained within the compass of the pin as viewed lengthwise of the pin, and the other end (or a portion of the arm adjacent thereto) arranged for movement between a position in which it projects from the pin and a position in which it is withdrawn within the pin. Said other end is herein called the abutment end.

It is preferred that the arm is resilient and the abutment end or adjacent portion moves between its two positions by flexure of the arm.

It is also preferred that the abutment end is turned inwardly to form a spigot which is retained in a radial socket in the pin. The spigot may also coopearte with a cam for moving the abutment end between its two positions (e.g. to move the end portion outwardly against the resilience of the arm which elfects the return movement).

In a convenient arrangement there are two arms as aforesaid, the two arms being interconnected (like a hairpin) at their root ends and being diametrically opposed on the pin.

A specific embodiment of a pin according to the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

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FIG. 1 shows an elevation of the pin,

FIG. 2 is a section through the pin, in a plane at right angles to that of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 is a view looking on the left hand end of the pin, as seen in FIG. 1.

In this example, the body 10 of the pin is made of stainless steel tu be. At one end 11, the tube is tapered to provide a long lead-in when inserting the pin into a hole. At the other end of the tube there is secured an enlarged head 12 of metal or plastics material.

The end 11 of the tube is formed with a diametrical slot 14 leading into grooves 14a in which is received a double latching member 15-. This member consists of a length of spring wire bent, like a hairpin, to provide two resilient arms 16, 17 joined at their root ends by a U- portion 18. At their other ends (the abutment ends) the arms are bent inwardly to provide spigots 20 which are held in radial holes 21 in the Walls of the tube.

Slidable within the tube there is a rod or plunger 22 having a tapered portion 23. In the position shown, the end portion 24 of the rod engages the spigots 20 and holds the abutment ends 25 of the arms projecting from the compass of the pin body (as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3). If the rod is moved to the left (as seen in FIG. 2) to bring the tapered portion 23 under the spigots, the arms 16 and 17 move inwardly by their own resilience and the abutment ends 25 move into the compass of the pin, i.e. into the release position.

The rod 22 extends from the head 12 to provide a pushbutton 28 for manual operation to move the rod to the left as above-mentioned. Return movement of the rod is effected by a spring 29.

We claim:

1. A releasable pin comprising a tubular pin body having an enlarged head at one end, and the other end tapered, an axially extending diametrical slot at the tapered end leading into opposed axially extending external grooves in the walls of the body and two radial holes one through the base of each groove into the bore of the body, a resilient U-shaped latching member with internal ends forming spigots at the ends of the arms of the U-shape, said member being received within the slot with its base lying diametrically across the 'body adjacent the end thereof and its arms extending into the grooves with the spigots projecting inwardly through the holes into the bore, a rod within the bore of the body and slidable lengthwise therein, said rod having a tapered cam portion engaging the spigots and also being accessible at the head end of the body for manual operation to slide the rod inwardly along the body, and a spring operative to effect return outward movement of the rod.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,086,764 2/ 1914 Greendbaum 24-211 2,691,146 10/ 1954 Pollock. 2,983,978 5/ 1961 Wilgus. 3,173,740 3/ 1965 Barnes -5 X 3,206,718 9/1965 McFadden 85-5 X FOREIGN PATENTS 84,551 11/1954 Norway.

BERNARD A. GELAK, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 85-5 

